Bengaluru: Despite non-arrival of any suitable vaccine for COVID-19, that has wrecked havoc around the world, the Government of Karnataka is silently making preparations well in advance with a hope of researching a vaccine soon.

According to sources, the State Government is readying its system for immediate distribution of vaccine once it was approved by authorities concerned. Instructions have been given to Health Department officials to make preparation for en masse inoculation of the vaccine at all Primary Health Centres, Anganwadi and Community Health Centres in the State. 

It had been decided to utilise those places for the mass vaccination of people. Besides, mobile units will also be used for this purpose. Idea behind this move was to ensure that there would be no delay in inoculating citizens once a vaccine was officially announced as the cure for COVID-19 virus.

Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar said that the Union Health Ministry has already prepared a detailed plan to receive 400-500 million doses of vaccine and distribute it once it was ready.  

The vaccine is expected to reach 25 crore people by July 2021. The Government of India is preparing a digital dashboard to record details such as total number of vaccines under research, stages of its testing, beneficiaries, storage and training for those who will ensure reaching of vaccine in remote corners of the country.  

Likewise, the State Government is preparing a list of those who should get the vaccination first, including Corona Warriors. “Our government is aimed at reaching out every citizen without loss of time,” he said.

 The Minister said that at least three viable vaccine candidates were in the clinical trial phase in the country. AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford’s vaccine being produced in collaboration with Pune-based Serum Institute of India is in the third phase of trials while Zydus Cadila launched phase-2 trials for its vaccine on Aug. 6.  Bharat Biotech began phase-2 trials from September. “Apart from indigenous attempts, the Centre is in talks with Russia,” he said.